First off any band that references The Jam, The Clash and The Damned as influences are going to be right up my alley, and they are not even a punk band, well not in the traditional sense anyway. What they are is a mixture, 1/2 Ska, 1/5 Jazz, 1/8 Reggae, 1/12 Punk, 1/27 Blues and 1/39 Hip-Hop/Drum and Bass. That adds up to a whole right? Anyway what you get is an album that is surpassingly easy to listen to, 13 songs that meander around a musical ghetto in search of a place to crash for the night. Sometimes in your face, but more often laid back, letting the brass and drums do all the work.
I am on record in my belief that most bands under the Ska 'label', or at least those there by musical choice rather than desperation bandwagon jumping mid career, are by definition at least worthy of a listen. They are not all good, but they tend to stink less than any other genre than I can think of. This is at least partially because Ska is such a broad spectrum nowadays. The heart of Filibusters is pretty much old school; these guys are more familiar with Bob Marley than Madness. They are also one of those rare acts that know how to use a DJ within the confines of a band, he blends in so well you can hardly tell he is there, and I don't mean that in a bad way.
It also helps that the genesis of the band has been around a long time, the familiarity in the music is obvious, and helps steer them away from the crowd of California Ska starts ups of the mid to late 1990's.
Filibuster are from Sacramento, a town I ended up in by accident for a weekend in 1995, and about which I still have pleasant dreams, the advantages of a British accent can not be overstated.
It is also a city with a thriving and diverse music scene, although it has managed to escape the music media's attention thus far. Those of us who can't get proper writing gigs are noticing though, and when the spotlight is turned, we will be all smug and superior, although still having to deal with the day job of course.
Deadly Hi-Fi was produced by Steve Albini, of Nirvana fame. He brings his patented 'keep it sounding live' style to the entire album. The mix is clear and uncluttered, the sax in particular sounds very good. There were a couple of points where I wished he had turned the guitar volume up a notch, there is nothing quite like a rock steady reggae guitar lick, but I really shouldn't pick holes unnecessary. He, and therefore the band, avoid the cardinal sin of overproduction which has ruined the recordings of many a young band, and for that I am hugely grateful.
Filibuster's strength lies in their quality, both in terms of musicianship and songwriting. There are no throwaway, comedy pieces here, no 'that’s a decent riff, who cares what we put around it'. Of course this doesn't necessarily make for a CD that is going to get record executives drooling, it is far to laid back for that, an album that demands repeat listening to fully appreciate.
The band are currently undergoing heavy touring, both within the US and Europe, which means several things. If they are hitting a town anywhere within driving distance of you then go see them, if not then visit their website and give some of their MP3 files a listen, 'Roadin' for Miles' would be a very tasty introduction. There are also video downloads available, so you have no excuses now do you. Also next time they head back to Europe, maybe I can sneak inside their PA system, I haven't been home for a while.
Overall a good old-fashioned class act of an album that is better than you people deserve.

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